Wedding Blog

I love a deliciously foamy cappuccino. I could easily lose myself in the luxuriously smooth texture, cloud-like layers, and sugary sweet embellishments.

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And my favorite “baristas“? Jenny Lee, Junko Yoshioka, Priscilla of Boston, Melissa Sweet, Amsale…

~~~ See ya later, Mr. Bruschetta (and, any Bruschetta guests or wedding party members who don’t want to ruin the surprise!). ~~~

After our wedding planning moratorium (Christmas is crazy enough as is!), I scheduled several appointments at bridal salons in the Philly area. Along with Mama and Sister Bruschetta, we first visited The Bridal Garden in Marlton, NJ. We were already familiar with our consultant, Debbie, having worked with her when Sister Bruschetta was searching for her gown.

Unfortunately, Bridal Garden has a strict no pictures policy, and none of us was brazen enough to try and sneak snapshots. But, Sister Bruschetta took copious notes, and I was able to find some of the styles on the designers’ sites.

Since this was my first time trying on gowns, Debbie selected a variety of styles.

(Legends by Romona Keveza Style L741)

(Amsale Collection Bali)

It didn’t take long, though, to realize I was drawn to mermaid/trumpet silhouettes. Three top contenders emerged from this visit:

Melissa Sweet’s Lia — Miss Kitten’s gown! I loved the unique shape, and the way the body-hugging design created curves on my decidedly not voluptuous figure.

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Melissa Sweet’s Mila — Classic meets modern. It wasn’t my favorite, but something about this style was amazingly unforgettable.

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This beautiful (but nameless!) Amsale — Mrs. Ladybug’s gown! Probably the most traditional of the three, I loved the super-sized brooch, and dreamy silk taffeta fabric.

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Since I was clearly smitten with Melissa Sweet’s designs, the Bruschetta trio popped into Priscilla of Boston in Wynnewood, PA. We learned some helpful tips — if your skin has red tones, consider a white gown; if your coloring favors yellow tones, opt for ivory — and added a few new Melissa Sweet favorites to the list:

Jillian, which became Sister Bruschetta’s favorite gown (and is Miss Latte’s!).

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Lilliana, a delightfully ruffly and girly confection of a gown.

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Marina, which (okay, okay) wasn’t a trumpet silhouette, but had so much personality (and was deceptively light and airy!).

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But I also realized that Mila, which had been playing second fiddle to the Lia gown, had vaulted to the top of my list. Admittedly, I was a bit freaked out by this — it felt much too early to have found “the one”. So, I persisted with my search, visiting Exquisite Bride in Princeton, NJ; Country Way Bridal in Cherry Hill, Suky in Bryn Mawr, PA; La Bella Moda in Conshohocken, PA; and The Wedding Shoppe in Wayne, PA. At each salon, I expressed my desire for a simple, trumpet-shaped gown, with little (if any) lace or rhinestones; instead, I requested the fabric of the gown — pleats, ruching, etc. — be the focal point. I tried on some amazingly beautiful gowns…

(Vineyard Collection Blythe)

(Vineyard Collection Piper)

(Junko Yoshioka Michelle from the front…)

(…and from the back)

(Jenny Lee 501)

(Jenny Lee 702)

(…and the completely awesome and dramatic flyaway train)

(Paloma Blanca Style 3860)

…and spent six months trying to find a gown to unseat Mila from its position as my favorite gown. Ultimately, I realized no gown I tried would measure up to Mila. When I felt satisfied with the lengthy search I’d conducted (in June 2008), I prepared to place my order. Before paying the deposit, I became a bit panicky, worrying I’d regret the slightly unconventional aspects of the Mila gown. Wouldn’t the Amsale be a “safer” selection? Which one did I ultimately choose? Lest you think I’m a copybee…

I trusted my instincts (and Mama Bruschetta’s advice), and can’t wait to wear Melissa Sweet’s Mila on my wedding day! (Note: In the picture, I’m wearing a tired and beat-up sample, not my Mila, which came in about a month ago — alterations start at the end of April!)

Did you find “the one” early on? Were you surprised by the style you ultimately selected?